Bruised Sánchez expects to make next start (Nats win 4-0)

NEW YORK - Aníbal Sánchez was sporting a bruise on his right hip this morning at Citi Field, but the Nationals right-hander has made it known he'll be ready to make his next scheduled start.

Sánchez, who was struck by Andrew McCutchen's third-inning comebacker during Wednesday's game in Washington, gave up two runs and put four runners on base in the fourth, then after attempting a few warm-up tosses in the fifth had to depart.

"The way I throw, because of my hip, it hurt me," Sánchez said. "And I don't want to force my arm to do something to stay in the game. It's early, and they know what they can do and I'm going to stop right there and get ready for my next one. I didn't want to injure my leg and my arm, too."

The Nationals haven't announced their rotation plan beyond this weekend yet, but Sánchez figures to start one of the team's three games in Philadelphia. And he intends to make that start, whenever it is.

"He's got a pretty good-sized bruise on his hip where he got hit with the line drive, but he walked in today normal," manager Davey Martinez said. "He says he feels pretty good. So he's going to go through his routine, and he says he'll be ready."

Matt Adams, meanwhile, appears to be improving two days after injuring himself after falling over the first-base railing while trying to catch a foul ball. The lefty slugger did not play Wednesday against the Phillies, but there's a chance he could pinch-hit today against the Mets.

"He's going to go warm up," Martinez said about 90 minutes before first pitch. "He's feeling a little better. He's going to take some swings, move around a little bit and we'll see where he's at during the game."

In other injury news, Michael A. Taylor will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg tonight. Taylor, who sprained his left knee and hip making a diving catch March 15, is in the starting lineup for the Senators' season opener.

Update: The Nationals have scored first for the first time this season. And they did it without a hit. Juan Soto and Ryan Zimmerman drew back-to-back walks to open the top of the second, then advanced on a Noah Syndergaard wild pitch. Wilmer Difo's well executed safety squeeze brought home Soto and put the Nats up 1-0. They're still seeking their first hit off Syndergaard, who has completed four innings. But the Mets also are still seeking their first hit off Strasburg, who has faced the minimum through four innings, the lone baserunner coming via his own error (but immediately erased on a double play). Is there some history in the making today in Queens?

Update: The dueling no-hitters are over. And the Nats have extended their lead to 2-0. Strasburg finally gave up a hit in the bottom of the fifth when old pal Wilson Ramos ripped a line drive single past a diving Anthony Rendon. And when Rendon couldn't handle Jeff McNeil's hard smash to third right after that, Strasburg found himself in a jam. But he battled through it and struck out both Juan Lagares and Syndergaard to get out of the inning. Then Victor Robles led off the sixth by ambushing Syndergaard's first pitch for a line drive homer to left. It's Robles' second homer of the year, and both have come off Syndergaard. So the Nats are in the hit column, and they now up two runs in the sixth.

Update II: Well, the Nats bullpen has come up large so far today. Matt Grace struck out J.D. Davis with two on and two out in the seventh. Tony Sipp then struck out Robinson Canó with one on and two out in the eighth. It's still 2-0 as Sean Doolittle begins warming for the ninth.

Update III: That's a curly W for the visitors. They tacked on two big insurance runs in the top of the ninth to extend the lead to 4-0, and that gave Doolittle plenty of cushion to close it out. The Nats are 3-3 and feeling much better about themselves as they head into an off-day before the series resumes Saturday afternoon.